


Ākuenjeru: The Man Always Lending His Hand

by KouPriest



Series: Ākuenjeru [1]
Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Depression, F/M, Magic, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-25 01:01:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10753452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KouPriest/pseuds/KouPriest
Summary: Cordelia is a teenager growing up in the slums of Agrabaad. To make matters worse, she was a very beautiful and fragile girl. One night as a group of bandits try to kidnap her and sell her into slavery, a great light saves her and the men flee. A man with dark purple dreadlocks holds his hand out to her, a gentle smile on his face, white rukh fluttering about adoringly. "I'll help you," he said and she took his hand.Heads up: Yep, so yeah Kassim is dead, but in this I have turned him into an  ākuenjeru, a very high being adored by the rukh. In a sort of spirit/angelic way Kassim is there to protect and save Cordelia.





	1. Chapter Two

Cordelia watches as the island becomes clearer and clearer to see. After a whole week on a ship, she was becoming rather landsick. She couldn't wait to feel the warm sand under her feet, to see all of Sindria, to meet the people worth meeting. Kassim, every night, continuously reminds her of the promise to find him some cigars. Once they got closer, Cordelia threw off her coat and dived straight into the sea, swimming to the shallows and playing around. The ship slowly pulls up to the port and Mr. and Mrs. Coburn are greeted by who Cordelia thinks must be the advisor. They all laugh and look at Cordelia, all equally amused. Smiling, she rolls over and floats on her back, the sun gently kissing her skin, sending goosebumps all over her body. For a while, the ship is unloaded. She almost falls asleep in the warm water.

"Cordelia!" Mr. Coburn shouts. The girl stands up and runs to the shore and to her adopted parents and the advisor, soaking wet. "Silly girl, you'll catch a cold!" Mrs. Coburn fusses. "Let her be, Aina. We've been on that ship a week. She felt cramped, I'm sure," Mr. Coburn chuckles.

"Ah, Cordelia, this is Ja'far, the King's advisor. Ja'far, this is our adopted daughter, Cordelia . . . ." Mr. Coburn trails off.

"Cordelia Griffin," she smiles, speaking only politely. "Good to meet you. I will take you three to the palace. Your home should be finished in around two weeks," Ja'far says and begins walking. They follow. She glances at the markets as they walk down the streets. "Mr. Coburn, sir? Could I ease have some money to purchase a few things?" She asks shyly.

"Of course, child," he hands her a pouch, "Come to the palace as soon as you're done. Don't stay out at dark." She bows, grateful, and runs off into the Bazaar.

After buying the cigars she wanders about, exploring the surrounding areas. Before she knew it, it was dark, and she was lost. "Well, we're lost," Kassim says, appearing beside her. "Oh, gee, really? I hadn't noticed," her eyes narrow. He smirks, "Shouldn't have stayed out late." She hits him. He laughs nervously, rubbing his shoulder. Then he freezes.

They were in an alley. Four men step out of the shadows, each one with a dagger. Kassim steps in front of her, stretching out his arms as to shield her from any harm. "Fuck off," he snaps at them, his eyes dark.

The men laugh. "What's a weakling like you going to do to stop us?" The leader grins crookedly. "I can always kill you," Kassim says, a deranged and blood-craving look in his eyes, in his tone. "Kill him and bound the girl," the leader concludes. It was over in the blink of an eye. Kassim covers Cordelia's eyes, but she could smell the salt and rust, she could smell the blood. She tries to move his hands, but he wouldn't budge.

"Please. . . ." Kassim murmurs in her ear, "Don't look, Cordelia. . . .let me lead you out of here. . . ." She swallows hard and nods, closing her eyes. He takes both of her hands and carefully guides her out of the alley and to an open street. She opens her eyes just as he wipes a speck of blood off his cheek. "Come on, let's get to the palace," he continues to hold one of her hands as he drags her forward. She struggles to keep up an not trip over her own feet. They were nearly there when Kassim vanished. She slowly down some and calmly walks the rest of the way to the palace. The Coburns weren't mad, but they sure were worried. Mrs. Coburn hugged her, in tears and blubbering like a fool.

Mr. Coburn pulls Cordelia from his wife. "Come to your room. You need your rest as the King has given you a job," he says and takes her through the hallways. "A job?" She asks. "Yes," he grins excitedly, "The King will explain all tomorrow, in due time."

  
/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

  
A non-negotiations ambassador who works in secrecy? So, basically a girl given an excuse to travel? Cordelia was already bore with it.

"Are you not happy?" Sinbad asks, puzzled. I gave her a legal excuse to have free transportations and stays in any countries she wants and she looks as bored as Masrur . . . . Glancing at the Fonalis, he shivers. The Fonalis stares at the wall, not speaking, but still thinking his thoughts. Ja'far stares incredulously at Sin. Is he seriously trying to bribe and woo this girl??

"I'm honored you have given me such an important job, Your Highness. Thank you," Cordelia says stoically.

And she speaks without emotion like Ja'far! Sinbad controls himself so that he wouldn't fall off of the throne. Clearing his throat, he glances at his hands. "That is all. Ja'far, I'm out," and he flees the room.

He is so dead, I swear. Ja'far sighs and forces a smile into his face. "Let's start with the basics: can you read or write?" He asks. The pretty young girl shakes her head, blushing out of extreme embarrassment. "Good, so follow me. Now we both have something to do today," he said quickly.

  
/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

  
Three hours later in the library, Ja'far and Cordelia were filing documents and signing letters. They work in an almost-silence, the only sounds being the flipping of pages and scratching of quills as they write. Ja'far was amazed at how quick of a learner a previous slums teenager could be. She grasped the concept immediately and has already been pointing out mistakes in some of the documents. A few more house tick by and they finally sign the last letter. "If you continue to excel expectations like this you could accomplish just about any career," Ja'far smiles, like he is truly excited, "I'll write a recommendation for you myself."

Cordelia laughs softly, blushing happily. "Thank you Mr. Ja'far, sir," she says. "Please, just Ja'far," he pats her head. "Would you like to meet the rest of the Generals?" He offers. "Oh, only if it's allowed . . . ." She says. "Of course it is," he chuckles and leads her all the way to the training hall.

Cordelia watches the Heliohapt fight a blonde boy a few years older than herself. They were both very fast and skilled swordsmen. Something about the blonde made the rukh flutter. She realizes it was Kassim's and not her own, but she was distracted as the blonde's sword was flung away. "That is Sharrkan, and Alibaba, Third Prince of Balbadd," Ja'far tells her. Cordelia stares at them. The swordplay was wonderful to see.

She recognizes the Fonalis, Masrur, watching her, and smiles. He merely nods in her general direction. (KouPriest: AHAHAHAHA I'm so sorry people...) Ja'far introduced her to everyone personally. There was Yamraiha, a powerful sorceress, Pisti, Princess of Artemyra, Drakkon, a former Parthvian commander, now looking like a dragon due to his Household Vessel, Spartos, the son of the Knight-King of Sasan Kingdom, and Hinahoho, the great Imuchakk man. Cordelia also met Alibaba's friends, Morgiana and Aladdin. Aladdin gave her strange looks and constantly stared at the rukh around her. Can he see Kassim's? Cordelia wonders, going into her own thoughts.

Cordelia hadn't even realized she had made it back to her room until Kassim waved a hand in front of her face. "Hello? Kassim to Cordelia! Calling Cordelia home!" He smirks.

She slaps his hand away, but still smiles. "Sorry I was thinking," she sighs and sits on the edge of her bed, taking her hair and pulling it into a ponytail over her left shoulder. "Thinking about what?" Kassim says as he digs through the closet, looking at her new dresses.

"Do you know Alibaba? Your rukh acts different around him," Cordelia says. He lights a cigar. "Doesn't ring a bell," he says and inhales the tobacco and nicotine. He puffs out the smoke and it disappears in the air. She coughs, "Stop that, you're killing me!" He rolls his eyes, "No, I'm not. You're fine. Chill, kid, geez." Cordelia grumbles, crossing her arms. She watches as he continues to rummage through her stuff. "What are you doing?" She asks the ākuenjeru. "Planning your outfit for tomorrow," he sighs, "but you don't own anything skanky, aw. . . ." Cue the pillow being thrown for his head.

He steps to the side and the pillow hits the wall. "I'm just joking around, Cordelia," he chuckles. She sighs in relief. "Yeah, you're better off in some traditional belly dance get-up," he laughs louder. She leaps to her feet, blushing furiously, "I am no bely dancer, Kassim!" She chucks several more pillows, him dodging each one.

"C-Cordelia?" Mrs. Coburn sobs as she knocks on the door. Cordelia runs over and opens it. "I-it's my husband. . . .he's collapsed s-suddenly. . . .they have him in the infirmary. . . .with the sorceress. . . ." Mrs. Coburn chokes out. Cordelia's face turns grave. "I-I just thought. . . .a-and. . . .C-C-Cordelia, y-you smoke??" Mrs. Coburn gasps. Cordelia looks at her hand and sure enough, there was the cigar between her index and middle fingers. "Yeah. . . . I'm sorry, Mrs. Coburn, I feel awful," she murmurs. Tears roll down the woman's face. "Y-you just got this new f-family and are already l-losing your f-father," she croaks, turns, then runs off to be alone. Overcome by emotion, Cordelia slams the door, and actually smokes Kassim's cigar.

Kassim appears on her bed, watching her with a concerned look on his face. She drops the butt of the cigar in a base and looks to him. He says nothing, and she leaves, if only to see her newly-adopted father just once more.

J


	2. Prologue

Cordelia blinks away her tears, staring up at the man reaching out his hand to her.

"I'll help you." His voice was kind, so gentle and soft.

Slowly, she reaches out her hand and takes his. His skin was cold. He pulls her to her feet and holds her steady when she sways dizzily. He smiles when she clings to his arm, uncertain she can stand.

"Who. . . .who are you?" Cordelia asks.

"Hm." He thinks a moment before responding. "My name is Kassim."

"What are you. . . . ?" She then inquires. "I don't know," he says with a quiet chuckle, "I have no damned idea what I am. Don't worry about that, though. You need to get home."

With his help she made it back to the slums and laid on the straw-made mattress, closing her eyes.

In the morning, he was gone, like he never had been there in the first place, but Cordelia could still see his rukh flitting about the tiny hovel of hers. She smiles. _Even if he doesn't know what he is. . . . I think I do. . . . He must be an ākuenjeru. . . ._


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cordelia Griffin has gray eyes, pale skin, rosy cheeks, long, straight brown hair. She wears a white gown and goes barefooted, being that she can't afford shoes or even the materials to create makeshift shoes. Cordelia currently is fifteen years old, though this may change later in the story. She lives in her little hovel all by herself, as her parents and baby brother died of a past plague about a year before this takes place. Please enjoy!

Sitting up on the straw mattress, Cordelia shrugs off the nightmare of the night:

_The baby cries excessively. Mom cries with him. Dad wasn't moving anymore. He wasn't breathing. I cry as well, curled up in a ball on the floor, but I'm not sick like them. Mom's choked sobs sieze. Case stops kicking and screaming. I sit up in the eerie silence. "Mommy?" I sniffle._

Rubbing her eyes, Cordelia gets up and runs her fingers through her hair to untangle it. The sun peeks through the glassless window, the dew on the cobweb shimmering. It was a quiet morning: the worst kinds.

Cordelia leaves the shack, walking along the scorching hot stones, but she couldn't feel it. The nerves in her feet have long been dead from years of this. She walks into the town and to the bakery where the old baker has so graciously given her a job. She didn't make money, but instead was given one free meal a day. That was all she needed to survive, and she was a modest girl; she didn't want much else than what she was handed. That's what always leads to bad situations for her.

"Good morning, Cordelia! You're here awful early?" The bakery says with a happy smile. "I couldn't sleep in, sir. I'll just start early today if it's okay," Cordelia replies and pulls on an apron, tying the strings around her waist. The baker nods, continuing to smile as he bakes. Cordelia picks up plates and moves to the mainroom, serving the customers. "Morning, Cordelia. Good to see you. It really makes my day," Mr. Coburn says. He was a nobleman who strove to protect the people of Agrabaad's slums. "Why, thank you, sir. You're so kind to me," she says as she pours more coffee into his mug. He smiles gratefully. Cordelia returns to the kitchen and asps, dropping the jug of coffee. The baker lays fallen on the ground. She runs out the doors, "We need help! The baker has collapsed! Someone fetch a Healer!"

Mr. Coburn ran out of the bakery. Cordelia reenters the kitchen and kneels by the baker, worried for the poor old man. Mr. Coburn soon rushes in with a healer-magician. Cordelia is pushed aside as the magician works on the baker. She frowns. Ever since last year the baker has been like family to her. Like a grandfather.

"So sorry," the magician sighs, "There's nothing I can do for him. He had a heart attack. He has already been reunited with the rukh." Cordelia covers her mouth, eyes welling with tears. Mr. Coburn pats her shoulder before leaving. "I'll fetch the mortician," the magician murmurs and also leaves.

Cordelia drops down to her knees, the tears overflowing. A cold hand falls onto her head. She slowly looks up at the man. He smiles sadly at her, dreadlocks falling into his face as he leans over her. "It's okay," he says, his voice kind, "The baker is in a better place now."

"Kassim. . . ." She says as he helps her to her feet. He nods for her to continue. She blinks away her tears, "Why do the people I love always die?" He frowns, thinking about it for a minute. "I. . . . wish I knew what to tell you, Cordelia, but truth is. . . . the same things happened to me and I was never told the real reason. . . . and I blamed my fate. . . ." He says, not meeting her gaze.

"Your fate?" She repeats, puzzled.

"I was wrong for it. The real person to blame was me," he says. "So then it's _my_ fault?" Cordelia furrows her brows, "they all die because of me?"

"No!" Kassim groans, "It's not your fault in this case. . . . Man, I'm so unsuited for this job. . . ." He rubs the back of his neck.

"I'm glad for it, though," she smiles.

"Huh?" He blinks, confused, "Why?" Cordelia hugs his arm, the coldness of his skin not bothering her in the least. "'Cause now I have a friend who can't ever die and leave me," she coos. His face reddens momentarily, but then he laughs. "Silly girl," he rolls his eyes, and suddenly disappears.

"Cordelia?" She turns to face Mr. Coburn. "Yes, sir?" She smiles. "Who were you talking to?" The nobleman asks. Cordelia tenses, then laughs nervously, "Myself, sir." Mr. Coburn's face contorts, displaying pity. Cordelia sighs and looks down at her feet. "Is there something you wanted, Mister Coburn, sir?" She whispers.

"Ah, well, yes actually. My wife and I have decided to adopt you," he smiles, placing his hands on her shoulders, "We're moving tomorrow and we figured you'd like a fresh start. So, Cordelia, how you feel about that?" She was silent a moment, exhaling raggedly, severely surprised. "Sir, you're so kind to me," she finally whispers, starting to cry again. Mr. Coburn smiles, "Let's get you back to my wife. She could use some help packing and I'm sure you should eat something." "Th-thank you, sir. . . ."

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"It's beautiful!" Cordelia exclaims and leans over the side of the ship, the salty sea spraying her face. Mrs. Coburn laughs softly, smiling at the girl, her newly adopted daughter. "The sea is indeed beautiful," Mr. Coburn chimes in as he walks up the stairs from under the deck, "You'll most certainly love our new home, Cordelia." He smiles, handing her a pale gray coat.

"Oh," Cordelia says, "You never told me where we were traveling to."

"Sindria, of course. The land of the sea, ruled by a wonderful King. We've finally been granted property there by the King's advisor," Mrs. Coburn smiles. "And I've been given the job of ambassador for Sindria, so we'll be around the palace often, and I will travel to foreign countries to support the two of you," Mr. Coburn adds, his pride swelling within.

"Sindria?" She tilts her head. "Yes, Sindria, dead. Ah, such a gorgeous country, and now you won't live in the slums. Now you are the noble-daughter or Sindria's Royal Ambassador," Mrs. Coburn hugs the teenaged girl. "I'm. . . . I'm so glad. . . ." Cordelia smiles back.

/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\\-/-\

"I can't do this! I don't know how to be a proper girl!" Cordelia buries her face in her hands. It was night, and she was in her room below deck. Kassim hangs upside down from her bed, inspecting a quill. "If it makes you feel any better," he says, glancing at her and smiling genuinely, "you're probably the most proper and kindest girl I've ever met."

She stops pacing and blushes. "R-Really?" She whispers.

"Well, yeah. I grew up in the slums, too, and my life was still a lot more different than yours is," Kassim says and sits up correctly.

"Didn't you have a girlfriend, though?" Cordelia asks as she sits beside him.

"Um, no. . . . I was too busy to think about stuff like that. I was solely focused on revenge against the government. . . ." Kassim trails off, "Hey, you should find me some cigars when we reach Sindria. I'd really appreciate it."

"Ew," Cordelia shudders, " . . . . Okay, I will, but you have to be by my side at all times."

Kassim sighs, cornered, "Only when I can be, okay?" Cordelia dips her head, smiling at him. "Man, kid, you're so cute; you're a magnet for trouble," he laughs nervously and scoots away an inch from her. "That's okay, though, 'cause you said you'd always be there to protect me, right?" Cordelia giggles and yet again scoots closer.

He moves again, and falls completely off the bed, hitting the floor. "Sure, sure, I'm always here for your trouble-making butt," he sighs.

"I'm not a trouble-maker!" She exclaims and throws a pillow at his face. He let's it hit him, and grins. "Sure you are. How many times a week do I save you from getting mugged?" He says, his voice like a purr, his eyes narrowed with amusement.

"That. . . ." She stammers, "That isn't my fault. . . ."

His eyes soften. "No, it's not your fault, Cordelia. It's the problems with the people of our world," he says, his voice a lot gentler and no longer joking. Cordelia nods and yawns, pushing her hair behind her ears and laying back on the bed. "Can you come lay with me?" She sighs. It is silent a moment, then the bed creaks as he lays down next to her. They don't say anything, a mutual agreement, and just stare up as the ship sways on the sea.

"About the people of this world. . . ." She began.

Kassim looks to her pale face. "I want to change that. . . . Do you think I could ever be strong enough to change our world?" She whispers. He stares into her darkening gray eyes.

"I believe you're overqualified. To you, it would be a simple task," he cracks a smile. "I'm glad. . . .you're my friend. . . . Kassim. . . ." She murmurs as her eyes flutter closed. He disappears from the room, his rukh fluttering about and watching over her as she sleeps peacfully.


End file.
